It’s a large elastic ball, filled with air, and the size can vary (more on that in a second). The major benefit of using a ball is that it challenges core muscles to keep your body stabilized, and is a great way to add extra resistance to exercises without being too heavy. Many people use stability balls in lieu of desk chairs to challenge their back and abdominals, and the ball can also be used in the labor process. The ball can be used to modify traditional strength training moves and also as a stretching tool (arching your back over a stability ball to stretch your abs is one of the most glorious feelings ever).

Does size matter?

For the most part, yes. The most common sizes are 55, 65 and 75cm, and here is a general sizing chart*:

How often do you use stability balls in your training? It’s an excellent tool to have in your home gym to add in a couple of workout moves (or bounce around for fun), whenever you’d like.

Want one of your own?

Leave a comment with your favorite stability ball exercise, and a lucky reader will win a Go Fit stability ball in their preferred size. (You’ll need a hand pump or something to pump it up- a local gym will do this for you, too)

I like to put my feet on the ball with hands on the ground (pushup position) go into a pike position and while I’m hanging up there do a pushup, then come back to regular pushup position and do a pushup there. That probably didn’t describe it very well haha.

Ohhhh!!! I’d love the stability ball!! I like the ab exercise where you stick the ball between your feet…lower it to the ground, then pull your legs up while you reach your arms to your feet. I don’t know the technical term 🙂 I can always feel the burn with that one!

Wall squats! I think that’s what they’re called anyway. Resting the ball against the wall with your low back smooshing it into the wall, sliding down until your thighs are parallel with the floor and your quads feel like they’re on fire. Yah, that’s the ticket 😉

The only “workout” move I’ve done on a stability ball is actually a stretch. Basically I lie on my back on the ball and let my arms and legs hang back. Such a great stretch! I’d love to try the ab moves above, as I hate crunches but want to workout my abs. 🙂

I like to do fit ball squats with weights. I’m still a beginner and I can’t wait to get fit enough to try some of these other exercises. There is a guy at the gym I go to who jumps up on one like it was a platform and then balances on one foot. He must have abs of concrete!

Thanks for posting this!!! I’m always looking for ways to use my stability ball. My favorite moves are the hamstring moves or putting your feet on the ball (like the first push up video) and rolling your feet in towards your chest. Great lower ab workout. FYI when I saw you write about doing stability ball push ups I had no idea this is what you were referring to 🙂 These I CAN DO! What I found was a video of a man doing them in reverse: with his feet on the ground and his upper body against the stability ball! http://www.livestrong.com/video/786-stability-ball-push-ups-upper/ If you could do this with a big baby bump, impressed wouldn’t even begin to cover it.

My favorite stability excercise is the ab jackknife move on the ball where you roll it all the way out so your in the push up position with only your toes on the ball and use your abs to pull the ball into your chest. super hard and leaves you really sore!

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